Lab Graded Assignments

Lab Assigned

Lab Due

Assignment description

Point Value (Total 200)

1

2

Turn in at the beginning of Lab 2, a Discussion with References of how the enrichment culture techniques and media you will use will select soil bacteria of the specific groups we seek and differentiate them from other microbes in the community. Be sure to read the directions for this assignment found at: Assignment: Enrichment for culturable bacteria of specific groups.

10

2

3

Make or Fill out a Table of the relevant morphologic, physical, and useful metabolic characteristics of expected genera of soil bacterial that you are attempting to find in your habitat. Be sure to read the directions for this assignment found at: Lab 2 Assignment: Assignment: Table of Cultured Soil Bacteria Characteristics.

5

3

4

To be sent to your instructor 1 day before lab: Quantify the number microorganisms in your soil community from the photomicrographs prepared and stained by your instructors from your Lab 3 soil extract. Compare this estimation to the CFU/gram of soil (dry wt) calculated in LAB 2 and try to explain the disparity, WITHOUT criticizing your execution of the plate count protocols or other procedures involved.Calculate AMR & GMC from your carbon profiling data and MPN of ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite producers from your nitrogen cycling data. Full instructions can be found at Lab 3 Assignment: Assignment: Culturable vs. Total Microbial Estimation

5

4

5

Write an Introduction section of final paper. Full directions and useful references can be found at Lab 4 Assignment: Assignment: Introduction

10

5

6

M&MCompose a draft of your Materials and Methods section of your final paper with the following three general sections:Community level physiological testing: carbon source profiling, nitrogen cycling profiling, exoenzymes profiling; & Identification of bacteria by 16S rRNA gene sequencing from soil genomic DNA; Selection and isolation of soil community bacteria to pure culture. More information can be found at Lab 5 Assignment: Materials & Methods

10

6

7

Write a brief summary of the theory behind the following techniques that we used to identify our bacterial species by molecular tools: genomic DNA isolation, polymerase chain amplification of part of the 16s rRNA genes, use of the Zero Blunt® TOPO® PCR Cloning Kit to create a library of unique plasmid vector with our 16S rRNA gene inserts and then select, One Shot® TOP10 Competent E. coli Cells that allowed us to select and separate our 16S rRNA genes for sequencing, and DNA sequencing by the Sanger method.

5

7

8

Partial Results section with figures/tables: Culture-based Soil Community Physiological Profiling, including results from the exoezyme community tests, BIOLOG Eco plate carbon source testing, the MPN of nitrogen cyclers testing, and from evidence of metabolic and physiologic capabilities in cultured isolates.

10

8

9

Graphical abstract: See models in research reports found in recent issues of the journal Cell.

5

9

10

Study for Lab practical

10

10

Lab practical

45

10

11

Group "Virtual" Poster Presentation Note that the 25pt includes 10 points of Individual Contribution to Group points--assigned by consensus of your project and presentation group